U.S. Gulf and Atlantic:
Sources noted an ongoing navigational shutdown in the West Canal between New Orleans and Morgan City due to shoaling and the presence of heavy debris left from Hurricane Ida. Vessels were heard detouring through the Port Allen Canal, adding an estimated 1-2 days’ travel time in each direction.
The Coast Guard directory for Houma showed an end to travel restrictions at Port Fourchon and the Houma Canal during the week. Both areas were previously open to daylight travel only due to Hurricane Ida.
Overnight passage through Bayou Chene was unavailable due to ongoing floodgate construction, a Coast Guard posting indicated, leaving navigation unavailable nightly from 7:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. Towing lengths were restricted to 600 feet, forcing longer tows to break up and make multiple passes through the area, while tows measuring wider than 54 feet were obligated to travel with an assist tug. Ongoing dive operations were expected to trigger intermittent shutdowns of the entire waterway.
Extensive shoaling at Miles 113-116 on the Atchafalaya River triggered travel restrictions through the Morgan City area. Drafts were limited to 10 feet, while towing lengths and widths were reportedly capped at 600 feet and 70 feet, respectively. Strings longer than 400 feet were strongly advised to make use of an assist vessel.
Lengthy delays persisted through Port Allen Lock for the week. Increased vessel traffic due to the West Canal closure, combined with efforts by lock operators to balance traffic vessel inflows and outflows between the river and canal, conspired to slow movements through the structure. Delays were reported in a wide 33-65 hour range for the week, rising from 44 hours reported one week earlier. Thirty-five tows were counted in line to lock on Oct. 6.
Algiers Lock travel restrictions continued for the week, limiting unassisted lockages to four standard barges or two 30,000 mt tankers. Larger tows were reportedly possible with the use of an assist tug, however.
Intermittent 12-hour delay warnings were heard at the Belle Chasse Bridge, located at Mile 3 in the West Canal, due to a construction project anticipated to run through late 2022. Delays could extend to Algiers Lock when underway.
Coast Guard data showed weekday Bayou Boeuf Lock transit available during overnight hours, passing tows between 7:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. only. Twenty-four-hour lockages were available on Saturday and Sunday.
Most Bayou Sorrel Lock travel was noted under seven hours for the week, although intermittent delay spikes were seen approaching 24 hours. Industrial Lock wait times typically topped out at 12-13 hours, while intermittent delays were quoted in the 24-73 hour range. Sporadic Calcasieu Lock waits were reported at 5-10 hours, and waits were clocked up to 11 hours through the Colorado Floodgates on Oct. 6.
A tropical disturbance tracked by the National Hurricane Center off the coast of South Carolina on Oct. 7 was not expected to strengthen into a tropical cyclone prior to Oct. 9.
Mississippi River:
Falling water levels were heard reducing maximum drafts on the lower Mississippi River, increasing travel times on a per-ton basis. In addition, northbound tows were reduced by 5-10 barges on the lower river.
The Dredge Hurley continued to work at Mile 742 on the lower river, with no delays expected at that location as a result.
The Lock 15 secondary chamber is due to shut for repairs and maintenance on Oct. 11, prompting a shift to main chamber-only movements through Dec. 1. Following that project’s conclusion, the lock’s primary chamber will close for seasonal repairs and maintenance from Jan. 1 through March 3, 2022. Locks 5A, 8, and 10 are tentatively scheduled to shut for the winter navigation season from Dec. 6 through March 24, 2022.
Illinois River:
Persistent low water levels necessitated raised wickets for another week at LaGrange Lock and Peoria Lock, forcing continued lockages through both locations. Corps data showed Marseilles Lock wait times pushing above seven hours for the week.
Ohio River:
Main chamber repairs at Cannelton Lock are anticipated to continue through Nov. 19, prompting tows to pass through the site’s auxiliary chamber. Repairs to the secondary chamber are expected to cause intermittent transit outages on Nov. 1-19. Operations at the site kicked off on June 21.
Montgomery Lock is scheduled to close for main chamber maintenance from Oct. 18 through Dec. 17, forcing traffic through the secondary chamber. The primary chamber at Hannibal Lock is offline through Oct. 29 for planned repairs and maintenance. Tows were locking through the secondary chamber, with minimal delays reported.
Operation of the Dashields Lock secondary chamber remained hindered for the week due to an underwater obstruction blocking the miter gate. No timeline for a return to normal operation was available on Oct. 6.
The Willow Island Lock primary chamber was shut to navigation on Oct. 1 for planned maintenance, prompting detours through the auxiliary chamber. Work is scheduled to conclude on Oct. 31.
Ongoing miter gate repairs were projected to keep the Markland Lock auxiliary chamber offline through an estimate Oct. 29, forcing all traffic to run through the main chamber. The affected chamber has reportedly been offline since early 2020.
Waits were noted up to seven hours at Pike Island Lock on Oct. 6, while vessels experienced eight-hour passages through Meldahl Lock. Smithland Lock delays were noted up to 13 hours for the week. Following the successful raising of wickets at Olmsted Lock on Sept. 29, delays were quoted up to seven hours through the site on Oct. 6.
A mechanical breakdown was noted blocking movement through the primary chamber of the Tennessee River’s Pickwick Landing Lock during the week, forcing tows to detour through the site’s 600-foot auxiliary chamber. Main chamber repairs were tentatively scheduled for Oct. 12-23, sources said.
Wilson Lock continued to operate on a staggered one-way navigation system due to reported damage of the structure. Vessels traveling southbound were heard locking during daytime hours, while northbound boats were permitted to pass during overnight hours.
Kentucky Lock is scheduled to completely shut to navigation on Nov. 1-24 and again from Nov. 29 through Dec. 10 for miter gate repairs. Vessels are expected to detour through the Barkley Canal while work is underway. Kentucky Lock waits were noted in a general 3-7 hour range for the week, falling from 20 hours in the prior report.
Maintenance to the Cumberland River’s bio-acoustic fish fence (BAFF) system concluded on Oct. 5, ending an extended spate of overnight-only navigation.
The Monongahela River’s Lock 2 was scheduled to return to normal operation on Oct. 15, ending a period of repairs and maintenance that began on Sept. 13. Passage was available through the secondary chamber only while work was underway. Delays were quoted up to 15.5 hours for the week, falling from 26 hour reported previously.
The Allegheny River’s Lock 6 is closed until further notice due to a damaged miter gate anchorage.
Arkansas River:
Intermittent shutdowns are scheduled at Joe Hardin Lock between 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. on Oct. 19-21. Emmett Sanders Lock will see daytime closures on Oct. 26-28.